Chilean Junk Food Regulations

Several delegations ... raised new concerns regarding Chile's proposed amendments to its Food Health Regulations — which would place “STOP” signs on junk food. Pursuant to the amendment, certain categories of food would need to bear labels designated to inform and encourage consumers to avoid excessive intake which may lead to obesity and related non-communicable diseases. Moreover, products containing a critical amount of certain substances (e.g. fat, sugar, salt) would have to bear labels such as “high in salt”, “high in calories” or equivalent warnings. These warnings would need to be placed in the middle of an octagonal icon (i.e. a STOP sign) occupying no less than 20% of the main surface of the package, be located in the upper right corner, and have a size of at least 4 square centimetres. Delegations were concerned that the amendment was not based on the relevant guidelines of Codex on nutrition labelling, that it would create unnecessary obstacles to international trade, and that it had not been notified to the TBT Committee. Chile said that the measure responded to an epidemic of obesity, especially among young people, and that the measure was necessary to provide easily understandable warnings on products.

Perhaps the next step is "plain packaging" of junk food? The word "Twinkies" can only be written in small font, with no colorful images, and no Twinkie guy riding a Twinkie?

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Several delegations ... raised new concerns regarding Chile's proposed amendments to its Food Health Regulations — which would place “STOP” signs on junk food. Pursuant to the amendment, certain categories of food would need to bear labels designated to inform and encourage consumers to avoid excessive intake which may lead to obesity and related non-communicable diseases. Moreover, products containing a critical amount of certain substances (e.g. fat, sugar, salt) would have to bear labels such as “high in salt”, “high in calories” or equivalent warnings. These warnings would need to be placed in the middle of an octagonal icon (i.e. a STOP sign) occupying no less than 20% of the main surface of the package, be located in the upper right corner, and have a size of at least 4 square centimetres. Delegations were concerned that the amendment was not based on the relevant guidelines of Codex on nutrition labelling, that it would create unnecessary obstacles to international trade, and that it had not been notified to the TBT Committee. Chile said that the measure responded to an epidemic of obesity, especially among young people, and that the measure was necessary to provide easily understandable warnings on products.

Perhaps the next step is "plain packaging" of junk food? The word "Twinkies" can only be written in small font, with no colorful images, and no Twinkie guy riding a Twinkie?